The lament of Shelob
by GwenynGwanunig
Summary: Shelob is known for being a creature of darkness...But what if she falls in love? Drabble series.
1. Beginning-Darkness

1\. Beginning - Darkness

It was always dark, where she came from. But to her it was comfort. It reminded her of the warm underbelly of her mother, when she was still small, and when the world was nothing but that slimy, cold and soft warmth.

It had been long since she was but the size of a man's hand and Shelob had since then grown into her full form. Terrified they were of her, and they should. She did not discriminate in her hunger, and that had earned her the appreciation of Sauron and Mordor. But that didn't matter to Shelob.

Food was food and just like her mother had taught her, when her hunger was great, the first prey she came upon and who was great enough to still her hunger died. No matter what race they were.

Silence reverberated as she crawled trough her halls of cold and blackened stone. Only the webbing she produced made it feel more like a home. It would become more her own with time she promised herself. She only had to get used to it. Her black eyes peered into the hallway before her and softly she sank down.

Sleep came swiftly.


	2. Humanoid

2\. Humanoid

The ability to shift came upon her not long after she called the caves in Mordor home. It scared her, for she didn't remember any of her brothers and sisters doing this. First her forelegs morphed into ugly black arms, or something that had to seem alike. With time passing, Shelob found ease in her new ability, and sought ways to exploit it.

' Easy, Foshnu, take your time. We who dwell in darkness always search the right time.'

Often the voice of Ungolianth would resound in Shelob's mind telling her to be patient with her form and eventually that patience paid off. After decades Shelob finally reached a form with which her humanoid aspects came forth. A young woman, with black eyes, and upperbody of a female, but the lowerbody of her spiderform. In this form Shelob took most comfort, since her spiderform had brought along pain when the shifting first began.

And as every young creature of her kind, her times of shedding also provided shedding within her form until the ugly old woman with blackened skin changed into a young woman with hair and eyes black as the darkness.

Years and years later, Shelob shedded into her full humanform for the first time. But as it was in the darkness, no one knew, and if she sometimes changed to feel her joints creak and stretch, it was no one's business but her own.

 _Foshnu: Infant/baby in black speech_


	3. Deleb the Great

3\. Deleb the great

There was but one Shelob called a real and true friend. Deleb was her name, a creature most resembling an angry nymph. She resided in water and poisoned all that drank of it.

Shelob first met her when she was just old enough to make her first journey alone. It was a strange sight, the woman with red hair and red dripping from her body which ended in a snake's tail.

Deleb was older then her by much, as old if not older than her mother. Where first the darkness in both drew them to each other, soon both grew fond of each other.

Unlikely their friendship was, but it was a fellowship meant to last for centuries. Valar know how much she would need it on the path life would take her.


	4. Sleep now

One day when Shelob visits, she finds Deleb settling herself into a deep lake. The once vibrant blue water is now thick and dark.

Shelob peers up at her and her fronth tusks click together. Deleb smiles. ' They did not tell you of this, Shelob?' Shelob clicks again. She cannot speak yet, and Deleb doubts she will master the languages of men, elf and dwarf completely if she learns.

'Demons like me, we sometimes fall into a deep sleep. Some call it the _frozen sleep_ since we sink deep into the earth and wake only centuries later. My last was long ago, and now it is the time i sleep again.' Shelob stays quiet. Deleb slithers to her. Then her eyes and face soften. ' I am sorry i have to sleep when i met you, my friend. I shall miss you dearly.'

She stretches herself around the spider as best as she can and hugs her. Shelobs body is cold and strange-feeling, but she stretches her great legs around Deleb.

And though she says nothing, to both her sentiments are clear: Shelob will miss her as well.


	5. Lonely

Shelob takes it hard, the first time alone. Without the comfort of knowing she has a friend, Shelob's future seems bleak and lonely. She crawls through her halls, silent, trying to wrap her head around the concept of loneliness now that she knows doesn't eat for quite a while, not interested in anything that passes through her halls. It's as if with Deleb her feelings have gone to sleep. She doesn't feel and she doesn't care. She spends her time spinning new webs and making her home even more dangerous for everyone who passes through. She is connected to all of it, feeling the slightest vibration of anything stepping on her silken webs. /span/p

As time passes, Shelob regains her lust for life. She builds her strength and grows stronger, her hunger getting greater until she is back to the fearsome killer she is. She doesn't discriminate in her food, but when she realizes the cold material some of her prey wear is not digestable she keeps it aside. The material is cold and a shiny yellow, but soon there come stones the size of her eyes in red, blue and all possible colours. Her prey wear them everywhere. On their necks, on their heads, and eventually Shelob finds the glitter of a beautiful necklace with stones the colour of a dark night. It tinkles and sings everytime she moves it, and she decides this will be for her friend when she wakes.

The years pass and life goes on…

And Shelob..Shelob waits.


	6. Longing

Two dragons fighting wake Shelob from self-imposed isolation.

The earth thunders under their weight, and her webbs and halls tremble. She hears their cries and screams, and almost can feel the heat of the fire they are spitting at each other.

When one is defeated and the air is crisp and tender with silence, the sun peaks through the clouds and caresses her face.

And a longing to see the world is born.

/

It takes years before Shelob acts on the lure of her longing. She doubts and thinks it over and over, until it makes her restless and she is vicious to her preys because she cannot find peace.

Those who escape her whisper abut hzer in hushes trembles. the black spider, so mean and cruel she plays and harms long before she kills.

Her restlessness gives her a name of darkness, danger and cruelty.

She does not have Deleb to help her and she misses her friend deeply.

In these moments, when more than darkness comes from her heart, she wishes her friend to be with her.

/

One day, she takes her decision and leaves.

The ground full of ashes and dust gives way to green as farther she travels from Mordor until the lush vgreen grass carresses her legs and sqhe scithers through the valleys.

The sun warms her and the air makes her content.

Only at night, when the dark descends and she lays herself to sleep under trees or stones, does she miss the closeness of her cave.


	7. Meeting

She wanders through forests and valleys, animals scurrying when she passes.

One day comes through a forest, so beautiful ,she can feel the magic crawl across her skin.

She hears song and music and recognizes the voices as Elven.

She never understood the allure of elves and their beauty, only reminding her what darkness and pain can turn them into.

/

Yet, the atmosphere is pleasant and so Shelob moves on.

She hears their voices come closer until she finds herself hiding in the brushes watching the strange creatures dancing in the river.

One particular elf has her heart stutter, feeling reborn when she sees him for the first time.

He is tall, pale, blonde haired with braids tying his hair to the middle of his head. He wears his air like a lot elves, but to Shelob it makes him all the more endearing.

She doesn't know him, but her heart already belongs to him.

/

She observes him for days. The more she sees him, the more she falls even deeper in love.

She knows well he cannot love something like her, yet love has made her heart foolish and so Shelob does what she would never do, where she still the one she used to be.

She steps out of the shadow and goes to meet him.

/

The male elf finds Shelob the next day in her human form at the river he comes to play music.

Shelob now looks like a normal human, now she has learned to make her eyes look like those of a mortal and not full-on black.

The elf wonders what a young woman is doing, sitting by the river, but it isn't in his nature to be suspicious, so he walks up to her.

"Enjoying the view, my lady?" The girl looks at him but her face is still. " Not many have found this place in the forest, it makes it all the more peaceful. You must be quite clever to have found it." His voice is deep, and gentle.

" What is your name? Mine is Finarwinwe." He bows. He is stunned when she looks up but doesn't answer.

" Can you hear me?" He motions to his ears. She nods, but then points to her neck and her mouth.

It becomes clear to him instantly. " You cannot speak?" She nods and Finarwinwe smiles. " Do you wish to be alone?" She shakes her head.

/

An elegant but almost deadly pale hand pats next to her softly.

" Would you like to hear a story, my lady?" He asks. She nods.

The elf sits next to her and smiles. " Very well."

It is late when he leaves and Shelob slithers through the underbrush to change forms and eat.


	8. Love

They fall into a rhythm of sorts.

He will come around midday to find her sitting next to the water, always with her eyes open and face still.

He learns to read her through her movements, as she barely makes any sound.

Eventually she warms up to him and she laughs sometimes. It is an ugly sound, her laughter, a deep hoarse voice that sounds like a cross between a hiss and a spit, but he knows she does because she is comfortable and he says nothing.

Her skin is always cold, even when she is sitting in the sun all day long, but he doesn't inquire for more of her explanations.

He likes her, but never learns her name so he calls her _my lady._

/

Shelob adores him and loves him so deeply she knows she will never love again.

Yet, there is that doubt, if he will accept if he knows who she really is.

Shelob knows her heart belongs to him, and she wants to spend eternity with him.

/

Time passes.

He doesn't learn much about her parents, except her mother raised her alone and she left her home early to find one of her own.

He knows she is serious and often somber, sometimes bordering on cruel, but with time their is a joy and beauty in her that makes him fall in love with her.

He knows well the telltale signs of falling in love, but pretends he only considers her a dear friend at first.

But with time, that inhibition falls away.

He knows she is serious and often somber, sometimes bordering on cruel, but with that there is a joy and beauty in her that makes him fall in love with her even deeper.

/

Perhaps that is his mistake, not taking note of her dark side too much.

Perhaps he should have seen the signs, and perhaps than he would have known the tragedy that would befall him.


	9. Betrayal

He isn't the only one who watches the strange girl from a follow her every move as well.

To his kin, Finarwinwe is blind. They know he has fallen in love with the stranger but what scares them is that they cannot read her.

Humans their faces are like books, or they might get an inkling of them by their magic.

But to her, they find nothing. No emotions, no heat, no name, no thoughts, almost like she has no heart or soul.

Especially Finarwinwe's cousin, Ehin is worried. He doesn't trust her, for what he does notice about her is darkness. Yet, Finarwinwe will not listen to reason and so Ehin goes to consult one of the oldest and strongest of their people.

When he explains his concerns to her she nods. She too has noticed something off about the stranger walking their woods and so she goes to consult her magic.

Her eyes become pale and her face even paler, almost as if she has seen Sauron in person. The woman shudders. " She..is a creature of darkness. I cannot yet see what, but she is terrible." She turns to Ehin. "I fear Finarwinwe is in danger. " Ehin paces around the room. "What do we do now?" She looks at him. " I shall concoct a potion for him. To see her true self. But it will take time."

Ehin fears time is something they do not have.

When he comes upon Finarwine, he tries again, without any success, to keep him away from the stranger. But when Finarwinwe does not listen, Ehin knows what he needs to do.

/

They have spent most of the morning together, He speaks and she listens.

As the day goes along, Shelob relaxes more and more. She sits with her back towards the sun with her eyes closed, enjoying the sun when Finarwinwe hears something.

"Finarwinwe." Comes the voice of Ehin. " She is not who you think she is." Finarwinwe frowns and stands. " Not that again, we spoke of this bef-.."

But before Finarwine can finish his sentence, on one knee turned towards Ehin, his cousin takes hold of the potion, opens it and throws it over Shelob.

It happens so fast, so unexpected that Shelob even doesn't have the chance to turn away. She has her head turned towards the angry speaking elf when with the speed of light he throws a liquid over her.

Soon searing pain is everywhere, burning her eyes, her mouth, her legs, her arms, her skin, her entire body. Even her hair burns. With the pain she starts screaming, but the human screeching soon turns to an inhuman screeching, high ugly sounds that sound like spits and hisses and clacking of teeth together.

"Ehin, what.." Finarwinwe tries to take hold of the screaming girl next to him when to his surprise, smoke starts to form, as the screeching stops and her body seems to melt away, large black hairy legs, eight pureblack eyes and clicking tusk greet him.

In front of him is a giant spider where once was the quiet girl he had learned to know. "Shelob..?!" He stands and hops away with disgust in his tone.

Shelob is still screeching and hissing, when Ehin calls for the others. "Don't let her get away! «Soon an entire party of Elves arrives with swords, shields and bows. The hissing and spitting spider stands with difficulty, defending herself against the raining down swords and shields.

The first near her she grabs and throws against a tree. With an angry hiss she stands to her full height and pushes herself a way through the elves who are attacking her, taking many of them down with her, wounding them severely.

She scithers and then gallops at full speed away, yet her pursuers don't give up. She isn't sure how long she runs and leaps, attacking those she can reach when one takes hold of her leg.

A net forms around and something comes down on it. Unbearable pain shoots through two of her right legs and she screeches as a familiar blonde head comes next to her. She opens her mouth and bites down on his arm.

Finarwine's scream will haunt her for days to come.

Eventually, she gets away from them, only because she has webbed many of them and they cannot follow her anymore.

Ehin still wants to after her, many of his in calling for her blood.

"Enough!" Finarwinwe roars. He takes hold of Ehin's arm and pushes him back. "Enough, she will not survive anyway." Ehin grunts. "I meant no harm, brother, but now you know what she is."

Fianrwine frowns and can't help but feel disgust come over him.

Yet, when she bit him, she never put her strength in it. The bite was painful, but she could have easily have taken his arm right off, or injected loads of poison.

The only thing he has is scrapes and the stinging of a few drops of poison of which he'll heal in the coming hours.

Why? Is a question he never finds an answer to.

/

How she reaches her home she doesn't know. Shelob screeches, and spits, crying in the high ugly tones that sound like a cross between a spit and a hiss. Two of her right legs are broken, and many wounds and burn marks litter her body. Tears fall from her eyes as she wails in her hissing tones, ugly cold tears falling to the ground.

She goes to the furthest of her cave, webbing herself into the tiniest hole.

She crawls against the walls filled with webbing and nestles herself against the back.

Hidden, enclosed she continues to web around herself.

Pained cries sound across the plains of Mordor.


	10. Welcome Back

About 2 centuries later, Shelob feels the ground shake beneath her feet and she knows.

Deleb has awakened.

The love she bore for the elf is now but a distant vague memory, and Shrrlob understands very well that indeed time heals all wounds.

She's again how she was, perhaps wiser and more mature and with a surprising insight in the world she didn't have before. And for that she is thankful she has known love and tasted what made the world turn.

Yet, it is now a distant memory, one that belongs in the past and as her mother once taught her, what has passed, is best left in the past.

They call her even more cruel now. Mean and taking pleasure in playing with her food but Shelob has matured now. She has become wiser with the years to realize one thing: Creatures like her have no place in the perfect world of men and creatures of day. And so she remains in her darkness, taking pride in showing the world; "This is me, this is what I created, by my blood and flesh I made this, and here I shall remain.

With the years she has made her name and so has her home.

No one shall dare to disturb her.

Deleb arrives sooner than Shelob expected. Nevertheless, she is happy and excited to see her friend back.

Shelob clicks her teeth and titters, scurrying as fast as she can to see her friend. Deleb smiles and opens her arms, and as they embrace each other, the collision sounds like thunders in the sky.

"You have grown even taller and beautiful." Deleb speaks.

Shelob clicks with her teeth and turns to her cave. Deleb grins. "I've never seen your home." She slithers behind Shelob, being careful to not touch any of the things she has made.

She leads Deleb to her storage room and clicks again. Deleb slithers past her to find a necklace of rubies shining like blood red stars. "Beautiful." She whispers, and for a moment, Deleb's eyes take on the slitted version of the snake she looks like. A long hairy black leg holds it in her face and shakes it.

Deleb doesn't know what to say. "For me?" She chokes? Shelob clickers. "Thank you, my friend." A single tear slips from her eyes." I shall remain with you a while longer." An excited trample follows Deleb's words.

Then, Deleb's brows turn upward. "You have suffered; have you not, my friend?" Shelob's eyes are cold and blank, but it doesn't fool Deleb. "Love is a real mess. " She spits.

Shelob clicks and shutters." Sit down, my dear, I shall tell you of the time I fell in love."

Shelob sits down as Deleb makes herself comfortable and turns her tail around her. "His name was Beren One-hand…"


	11. Interlude: Sauron's arrival

She can feel it in her legs and in the earth, the moment Sauron awakens.

She has noticed that more orcs have come to Mordor again, trying to lure her out so that she'll be on their side.

A few attacks and bites, along with a sour tasting meal, makes them clear she has no interest in their cause, and she wants to be left alone.

She does not care for Sauron nor his victory but wonders if when they win it will be easier for her to survive or perhaps the opposite?

Shelob turns from the entrance of her halls and turns to sleep.


	12. Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee

All she sees is a tasty meal on two legs. She has never seen his kind before, but she doesn't care.

All that she cares for is that her stomach will be filled. Perhaps her hunger and the war she can feel in her bones have made her a little les careful.

He fights her, quite courageously, she might add, but she wins. She has injected poison and is ready to eat him after webbing him when another tiny blonde-haired human with curls attacks her.

With her great legs she tries to crush him but in a flash he takes hold of a sword and perses Shelob's midriff. In pain she screeches, a high wail that resembles a mix of a woman's wail and a hissing spitting creature.

The tiny human has however more up his sleeve then Shelob expects.

She cries out when the dark-haired tiny human brings out a flask of some kind and shines a light so bright at her she fears she'll go blind.

It burns her eyes and her mouth, and she can feel its effect on her body.

With a wail she scurries backwards, leaving a trail of blood behind. Breathing becomes harder and she can feel the sting of sword still in her belly. It burns and fetters feeling like a hot iron poking her repeatedly.

She shudders and cries, but no matter in what position she lays, the pain does not stop. Eventually, exhausted after hours of pain, Shelob sinks down on side, legs folded protectively over her stomach.

Difficult breath leaves her, and she feels the pain even in her lungs. For the first time, she is expecting to die.

She isn't sure how she is like this, only that the shaking of the ground and walls wakes her. She doesn't think much of it first, until the shaking gets worse and worse and her caves start to loose stone and rocks.

Not long after, she feels the heat and soon she realizes he has been defeated.

And Sauron will take Shelob with him into the grave.

She knows she cannot leave, she cannot overcome lava and burning ashes and it will be only a small time before the lava reaches her to.

She thinks that perhaps she would have loved to see Deleb one more time and at this moment she can admit, she would have loved to gaze upon Finarwinwe's face again.

No matter how much time has passed, now Shelob can admit, in her final moments, that she has never stopped loving him, even if time has taught her to look at her feelings with logic and maturity.

She clickers her tusks and closes her eyes.


	13. End of an era

Shelob is covered in ashes and sooth. Much does not remain of her halls, only ruins and rock.

She has peace with it. After all, her mother had once said that to all things come an end, and so will she.

She does not make any sound, doesn't react to the screaming orcs she hears outside. After all, nothing will help them now. Her wound has stopped bleeding, but she can feel her strength wane. Softly, she goes to close her eyes and her breathing slows.

"…" She isn't sure if she hears correct. Her vision is but blackness and blurs but when the insistent calling continues, she realizes she is not alone.

The voice comes closer until her sight focuses on something pure and beautiful. White light envelops a being, its rays enveloping and bathing everything in starlight. But this time it doesn't burn her. A soft hiss leaves her, but there is no strength behind it.

The individual comes closer and then a hand bathed in light touches her side. Shelob's eyes focus on the person before her and her heart stutters. A tall figure with pale, skin stands before her. His hair is long and of spun gold, two braids at his temples are tied behind his head. A pair of blue eyes stares at her.

It has been years since she last has seen him, and yet she can't help but feel her heart stutter and soften. He has grown older, like her, yet he is still as beautiful as when she first saw him.

"Shelob." He speaks. "There is no time." Shelob clicks. " Mordor is dying and will disappear. We have to leave or we will not survive." Shelob murmurs. His eyes turn to her midriff. "You've been hurt. "Before she can say anything, he steps into her space, kneeling between her enormous legs and he starts murmuring something. A cold feeling erupts in her belly and she realizes he is healing her.

She is in pain, and reminds Finarwinwe, she is born from darkness. She stands on her legs and nearly bites him. With a groan he jumps away. " Shelob, please…" She hisses and spits at him. She remembers what he has done to her. Finarwinwe counters the strikes of her legs with his sword.

"There is no time." He snaps. "We will fight this out later, but if you want to remain alive, we have to go, now." Finazrwinwe wonders if Shelob just gave him a stink eye before she starts moving forward.

Away from her halls and away from the land she has called home.

Her strength has not returned and even with the speed he is making, she realizes she will not make it. And she thinks, it is best for him to go, to remain with his kin and not stay behind.

Finarwinwe turns and sees her slowing down. "Shelob." She clicks her front tusks. "You're not remaining here. I will not leave you. Because you have my heart." The words are spoken in Elfish, but Shelob has a pretty good idea of what they mean. She knows not all is settled but it gives her such hope and longing she nearly feels sick.

" Change, please." It is a plead made with such heart that Shelob stands back and tightens her muscles.

Her skin stretches and moves, the sick black becoming deadly pale. Her legs and behind retrace into her body with the sounds of breaking bones and her eyes push themselves together into two pairs. Her head forms and soon black hair starts sprouting from her head until it falls to her chest.

It is an ugly process, her changing from a spider into a human woman; yet Finarwinwe does not look away at all.

"Come." He whispers and hold out his hand to the woman standing before him. He shrugs of his cape and give it to her to hide her nakedness. Except the elongated tusks, the deep black eyes, the long claw like fingernails and the black bruise on her stomach, nothing would give away she is not human.

All becomes a blur. He calls to someone and soon a grey horse arrives, shining the same light as Finarwinwe. He deposes Shelob on the horse and spurts him into action.

The ground falls out underneath them but Shrlob does not react. She falls asleep to the rhythm of the horse's movement.


	14. New beginnings

"Where are we going, Finarwinwe?" Arwen is smiling as her old friend leads her, king Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli the dwarf towards the meadows of Gondor. Faramir, Eowyn and kind Eomer have joined them as well.

They've never said anything when Finarwinwe returned to the castle bloody, full of gashes and poisoned. Yet, he had a smile on his face. It's been months since that moment, and in that time he has gone and come back many times.

Now, he smiles at Arwen and walks ahead of them. They reach a meadow framed by flowers and a few trees. Finarwinwe puts his fingers to his mouth. " Shh." They follow him with light footsteps and stop. They step behind the trees and watch the meadow. Soon, they hear rustling and then a gigantic black spider appears, strolling casually towards the meadow.

Eowyn releases a gasp and Aragorn reaches for his sword. "Don't." Finarwinwe's voice cuts like steel.

" I..I thought she perished." Gimli whispers. He is a little green. "She did not, master Gimli, I saved her." They all start at him as if he's grown a second head.

"But she.." Finarwinwe glances at Eowyn. "Even creatures of darkness can change. She will never be like us, but she is not the pure evil she once was. She has changed. She has not eaten any human,dwarf, elf or hobbit for quite some time. Though not ideal, she has resorted to animals now."

–"I still don't trust her." Arwen whispers. "Do you trust me?" Arwzen nods. "Then look."

Finarwinwe steps out from behind the trees and walks towards the spider.

Unlike what they remember, Shelob doesn't move when he approaches her and touches her head. To their amazement she turns her eyes towards them and clicks her tusks.

"She says you can come out. "Wearily they step out to meet the big spider. Perhaps a new beginning for all.


	15. Epilogue: A new chapter

"Dear Queen Arwen,

I write you this last letter before joining Shelob in the lands of the Eldar. She is doing well. The Valar and Eldar have seen great light in her, and have seen this grows bigger everyday over the darkness in her being. Shelob has decided to remain in the lands at the shore where she has her own hall now.

A part of darkness makes her to who she is and though she has started to change, she doesn't wish to pervert the creations of the valar. Everyone was pleased with her decision.

I remain in halls near Shelob's lands. It is beautiful and green, sometimes it grows dark and stormy and at night it can be pitch-black or a beautiful blue. Shelob has started webbing herself in her favorite meadow, but she keeps her webbing small so that I can join her whenever I wish. We often go to the shore to see the sea. She often becomes human now, and I am pleased to note that she does not scare any persons we encounter.

I have started to use Shelob's poison in my ink. Mixed my ink and other colors, it is be a beautiful black that can range from different shades of blue to green.

Since it is still her poisoncoming from her tusks I'm using, I only use few drops to mix in with my ink.

This is purely for leisure, as I would not risk any possible danger to any being by sending them a letter written in the ink I have made from Shelob's poison.

I am pleased to inform you that me and Shelob have become united. It is strange calling an enormous spider who can change into a human-like woman my lover, but this is who she is, and I am grateful I have learned to love all her sides.

Shelob does express that she misses her friend Deleb very much. Will you please send our regards to her?

Thank you, Melon.

Kind Regards,Finarwinwe and Shelob"

Deleb feels the breeze in her face and smiles. She is happy to join her dear friend in the lands over the sea.

She has missed her dearly since she left Midde Earth years ago.

Deleb will not live in the lands or have any halls, since she, no matter how the light has touched her, still remains part demoness. Yet she smiles.

Guarding and protecting has always been her strong point.

And this is what she will do. Protect the waters at the bay from intruders if their might be any. She would never have thought that light would touch her as well, yet she supposes it is only for the better.

She is not the harsh demoness anymore she was thousands of years ago. She too has softened towards the creatures of Middle Earth.

"Are you ready, my love?" A tall elf with black hair and green eyes stares at her. Luthiriel holds out his hand and she grasps it softly.

"How strange." She thinks. "That I would fall in love with the cousin of the one woman I once hated so much."

When the ship boards, Deleb slithers towards the front. She turns and looks back to Middle-Earth and smiles. "How strange how things have turned." She muses.

"But perhaps that is the way of the world."

The birds sing as the boat leaves the harbor. "It is a beautiful morning." Luthiriel whispers. And Deleb nods.

It is indeed a beautiful morning for a new chapter in life.


	16. Afterword

And so we have come to the end of this story.

I hope you enjoyed reading my story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Kind Regards,

GwennynGwanunig


End file.
